Plastic or stainless canteen?

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by survivalmonkey360, May 1, 2010.


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  1. What’s better for a survival situation, the plastic of stainless USGI canteens?
     
  2. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    I would go with stainless. A personal preference because I don't care for plastic durability. I'll pay the weight penalty, gladly.
     
    Georgia_Boy likes this.
  3. Seacowboys

    Seacowboys Senior Member Founding Member

    try to boil water in a plastic canteen then decide:rolleyes:
     
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  4. Oh yeah I should’ve stated I’ve got a stainless canteen cup, so being able to boil water in the canteen would be redundant (redundancy is often a good thing, though)
     
    Ganado likes this.
  5. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    GI Plastic canteens do impart a 'plastic' taste to the water - though this lessens the more you use it. I keep two GI canteens of water on my bike at all times - I run the forest a lot. Good for road trips too. I change the water out every month or so.
    I also keep a stainless canteen cup handy incase I need to heat water or food. I don't bother with mess kits or pots when camping - the GI canteen cup is good to go!
    If you can find them (Sportsman's Guide has 'em) get the East German plastic canteens - cheap and they don't taint the water like the USGI canteens will. But they don't nest in our canteen cups.
     
  6. Monty

    Monty Monkey+++

    I use two plastic canteens on my LBV along with one stainless cup for heating water, along with two 2qt bladers on my ruck.

    Again the more water you run through the canteen the less plastic taste you'll have. I also store them empty with the lids open to air them out it ,seems to let them breath and not allow the first water run through it to taste bad.

    I'm just used to these from my time in the service if I was starting from scratch I'd look into stainless. But if you plan on doing alot of humping through the bush you'd be suprised how heavy the little extras feel after awhile.
     
  7. Resqdan

    Resqdan Archangle

    i like the stainless but go with plastic and keep them open and dry when not being used. I dont like the plastic taste you get if water is stored in them to long. I have a stainless canteen cup to do the cooking in, plus the plastic is lighter.
     
  8. RobertRogers

    RobertRogers Monkey+++

    One problem with metal is when the temps are below freezing - your lips can freeze to the metal almost instantly.
     
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  9. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    I traded my steel and aluminum canteens in long ago and never looked back. They were noisy, cold in winter, the caps rarely worked for extended periods without leaking, and they dented from time to time. I even had one crack on me, another rusted. I don't know if the plastic models are the only type to offer the NBC drinking tube attachment, but I haven't been in the market for metal canteens lately, so I couldn't tell you.

    I will take plastic any day. The collapsible canteens are pretty nice, too. Although I primarily use Camelbacks and various Platypus containers now, I always keep a few canteens around.
     
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  10. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    A buddy and I did an extended MC ride Saturday, and I drank form my GI canteen when we took a break - the water has been in there a month, and I barely noticed any 'plastic' taste. Not a problem at all. [winkthumb]
     
  11. Hispeedal2

    Hispeedal2 Nay Sayer

    This is easy.... stainless.

    I was worried about plastics after the BPA scare and moved to the Kleen Kanteens (stainless steel). No leaky lids with a Kleen Kanteen and no way you can break it. I feel much more comfortable about letting my kid drink out of them. And boiling water is easier if you have to do it in the container (try boiling enough water for two canteens out of a canteen cup..... about two hours time by the time you boil, pour, boil pour, boil pour, and boil pour). They also sell an assortment of aftermarket tops for them. They are available in OD green (of course if you apply fire to them, it will melt off..... an emergency is an emergency). There is a company making neoprene covers for them. I am waiting for them to come out with a camo cover.

    (You can boil water in a plastic canteen if you do it carefully. You will run the risk of runing the canteen, but it will work in a pinch. A plastic bottle or camelbak will also do it. Les Stroud did it in several episodes of Survivorman.)

    ETA: Camelbak makes a MOLLE bottle carrier that I use to carry my bottles..... works well.

    Stay away from aluminum... it leaches into your water. Any modern aluminum bottle will have a lining that will not stand up to flame.
     
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  12. Sherman

    Sherman Dog Eat Dog

  13. Byte

    Byte Monkey+++

    I like my Kleen Kanteens. SS has it's advantages and disadvantages but over all I still like them. I have a 40oz and 64oz both with the wide mouths. I boil in the 40oz only. I need to see if my Katadyn Pocket filter will fit inside the 40oz for travel. Would make for a very nice sturdy container. I believe the MSR H2O filter screws directly to the wide mouth Kanteens also.

    Byte

    Edit: Sadly the Katadyn Pocket is about an inch too long to fit inside the 40oz wide mouth kanteen. Looks like I need to find something else slightly larger that I'd be willing to pack around!
     
  14. Sherman

    Sherman Dog Eat Dog

  15. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    Today I noticed even Wallyworld has a Kleen Kanteen ripoff..... Even has the 'sport bottle top'.
    It looks like the 28 oz. size though - not the bigger ones. Nifty colors too.....
     
  16. Hispeedal2

    Hispeedal2 Nay Sayer

    Good catch Sherman. I use the good ole' screw top. My wife may have the sports tops. I will have to check.
     
  17. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    Plastic:
    There are plenty of fantastic canteens made of plastic, from G.I. to Camelbak and Nalgene and everything in between. I like the light weight, and especially the fact they take up little room when empty. This permits me to carry more than one spare.

    USGI (2Qt.)
    DSC00001.JPG

    On The Go: Sip N' Go Bottle (with snap for collapsing)
    DSC00003.JPG DSC00004.JPG

    The Nalgene Canteen, wide top compatible with some water filters:
    DSC00002.JPG

    Camelbak Hydration bladder fits inside your compatible pack:
    DSC00005.JPG

    Steel:
    USGI 2 Qt. Arctic canteen (for those cold climates) with canteen cup:
    DSC00006.JPG

    I still don't use steel canteens, but I have this arctic canteen just in case. The added weight is worth it if you're gonna be out in the freezing weather. This is the only exception I can justify, but your mileage may vary.
     
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  18. -06

    -06 Monkey+++

    Have SS w/cup that has served me well for a long long time. Have added a couple spun aluminum bottles that are ultra light weight. Used to carry plain plastic 20 oz drink bottles. They are light and surprisingly durable. I keep a red bandana between canteen/cup to keep down chatter plus the bandana is the handiest tool in the pack. I use it for wash cloth, glove, etc etc
     
  19. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    So, you gonna boil water in your cup and then what? As they say don't put all your water in one canteen.

    Reason for two is very simple, survival. Collect water in the canteen after you transfer good water to your cup.

    Place canteen to boil while you do something else, like have breakfast of that dead rat in your snare.

    Now you'll have more good water after you empty your cup, once that water in your canteen is boiled.

    Been there, sound like what you need is more backyard experience.
     
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2015
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  20. AxesAreBetter

    AxesAreBetter Monkey+++

    Metal, every time.
     
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